Gill Sanders: Tributes paid to long-serving Oxford councillor

Gill Sanders served as a city councillor for 26 years and a county councillor for nine years

A long-serving councillor who "gave so much time and dedicated service" to Oxford has died.

Gill Sanders, who was 78, served as a Labour city councillor for 26 years and a county councillor for nine years.

She served as Oxford's lord mayor and deputy leader and was made an Honorary Alderwoman in 2018. She also served as the county council's chair.

Susan Brown, the city council's leader, said Mrs Sanders will be missed "enormously".

"Gill gave so much time and dedicated service to the city of Oxford," Ms Brown said.

'Great supporter'

"In particular she helped drive forward changes to the city's transport policy, including pedestrianisation of much of the city centre and was passionate in her support for young people."

Originally from Swansea, Mrs Sanders was the mother of two sons and a grandmother.

She had been an air traffic control assistant, one of the few women in the country to work as one, before working in Oxford schools for 25 years in HR and administration.

Mrs Sanders was elected to the city council in 1990 and represented Quarry until 1998. She was re-elected in 2000 to represent Littlemore until 2018.

She was also voted into the county council in 2012 and represented Rose Hill and Littlemore until last May. Her husband John served as a county councillor until 2021.

In a statement, the city council said she was a "great supporter" of city charities, including Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre, Rose Hill Junior Youth Club and the City of Oxford Charity.

She was the chair of trustees of the Rose Hill Junior Youth Club and chair of governors at Oxfordshire Hospital School.